The present invention relates to breast pumping systems and, in particular, to portable breast pumping systems.
It is believed by many nutritionists that breastfeeding is generally the best source of food and nutrition for an infant. Many experts and mothers believe that numerous immunological and nutritional advantages are provided by breast milk. Because of the benefits of breastfeeding, numerous breast pump devices have been developed which extract milk from a mother""s breast for subsequent use when it is inconvenient for the mother to breastfeed the infant.
Although milk obtained by breast pump devices enables an infant to be conveniently fed at a later time, the act of using a breast pump to obtain the milk from the mother may cause the mother to be inconvenienced. Typically, it takes a mother approximately 10-20 minutes to obtain 2-6 ounces of milk to be used for feeding the infant. Because many mothers are xe2x80x9cworking moms,xe2x80x9d these mothers typically have many tasks to complete at home, including feeding their infants, in a short period of time. Due to the limited time that a mother has to complete daily obligations, taking time out to breast-feed during busy periods of the day can cause an additional inconvenience to the mother.
While breast pump devices enable a mother to conveniently provide breast milk to the infant without having to actually nurse the infant, breast pump devices require a mother to stop or delay a task at hand to spend time pumping her breast for milk. Prior breast pumps have a vacuum unit, milk container and breast receptacle all constructed as a single unit. With this single unit, the mother must generally sit and hold the breast pump to her breast for the amount of time that is required to extract the milk. Taking time out to sit or otherwise use her hands to hold the breast pump is inconvenient for a busy mother and usually requires the mother to delay accomplishing other tasks.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a breast pump system that enables a mother to conveniently collect milk without substantially encumbering or delaying the mother.
Generally described, the present invention provides a portable hands-free breast pumping system. The breast pumping system collects milk without the mother holding the breast pumping system in place while enabling the mother to perform other tasks unencumbered by the breast pumping system.
More particularly, the present invention provides a portable breast pump system for pumping the breast of a mother that includes a breast pump, a breast milk collection container, a breast receptor connected to the collection container and the breast pump, and a plurality of retaining straps for securing the breast receptor against a breast for collecting milk and for securing the breast milk collection container and the breast pump against the body of the mother. The breast pumping system is secured in a manner that allows the mother to move freely while milk is extracted from the breast without the mother holding the breast pumping system in position for pumping the breast during collection of milk from the breast.
Described in more detail, the present invention provides a portable breast pump system that includes a breast receptor for receiving a breast, a vacuum suction compartment connected to the breast receptor and a collection container for receiving breast milk. The breast pump system also includes a breast milk collection tube having one end connected to the vacuum suction compartment and the other end of the milk collection tube connected to the collection container. The breast pump system also includes a suction pump connected to the breast receptor and connected to the vacuum suction compartment for creating a vacuum for drawing breast milk into the collection container via the breast milk collection tube. Supporting the breast pump system in a portable manner on a mother are a breast receptor support strap for supporting and securing the breast receptor against the breast and a body strap for positioning on the body upon which the breast is located. The body strap has at least one retainer for portably holding the collection container or the suction pump on the body.
One of the retaining straps may be a breast receptor support bra, having at least one breast support cup. The breast receptor support cup may be adapted to hold the breast receptor in attachment to the breast. The breast support bra may have an opening defined therein for positioning the breast receptor through the opening. The breast receptor has an end for connection with a milk collection tube extending out from the opening in a direction away from the breast. The breast receptor support bra may further include an adjustment strap that has a plurality of position holders attached to the breast support cup. The position holders secure the breast receptor in selected positions in the breast support cup. The adjustment strap is preferably positioned across the opening defined in the breast receptor support bra.
The breast receptor support bra may include two breast support cups and have a second breast receptor for attachment to another breast. A second milk collection tube may be connected to the second breast receptor for drawing breast milk into the container via the second collection tube. Each breast receptor is separately contained in an individual breast support cup.
Additionally, one of the retaining straps may be a body strap for securing on the body upon which the breast is located. The body strap may portably hold the collection container or the suction pump on the body. Preferably, the body strap is a waist belt with pockets. Additionally, the present invention may include a refrigerated container for receiving the collection container and the refrigerated container may also be positioned in the body strap.
Another aspect of the present invention which is generally noted above is the breast receptor support bra. The breast receptor support bra includes a breast support cup. The breast support cup has an opening defined through the breast support cup for receiving a breast receptor of a breast pump. Attached to the breast support cup is an adjustment strap. The adjustment strap has a plurality of position holders attached to the breast support cup and the position holders secure the breast receptor in selected positions in the breast support cup. The breast receptor support bra includes a connection member which is connected to the breast support cup for supporting the breast support cup against the breast when the breast receptor is positioned between a breast and the breast support cup of the breast pump. The breast receptor support bra may include a second breast support cup. The second breast support cup may have an opening defined through the second breast support cup for receiving a second breast receptor of a breast pump.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hands-free breast pumping system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a breast pumping system which is fully portable and allows a mother to accomplish many tasks unencumbered by the breast pumping system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide retaining straps for supporting the breast pumping system on a mother in a comfortable manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a breast receptor support bra with an adjustable support for a breast receptor of the breast pumping system.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.